Rav Eliyahu Ki Tov, in his well-known work, The Book of Our Heritage, states the first Temple’s outer city walls were breached on the ninth of Tammuz, whereas the second Temple’s outer city walls were breached on the seventeenth of Tammuz. In order to not burden the Jewish People with two fasts, the sages set the fast date after the second Temple disaster since it was “a greater calamity.” How was the destruction of the second Temples a greater calamity when the second Temple was a mere shell compared to the first temple? It may have had the trappings of grandeur as a result of Herod’s slave army and wealth, but the heart and soul of the second temple dulls in comparison to its former. First, how can we compare the work of King Shlomo with his vast wisdom and profound prophecy, to the work of the numerous non-Jewish rulers who contributed to the second temple? Further, The Talmud (Yoma 21b) records five key elements of the First Temple missing in the Second Temple: The Aron HaBrit (The Ark of the Covenant) with its Kaporet (Atoning Cove) and Keruvim (Golden winged Cherubs), the fire that descended from Heaven to devour the sacrifices, the Shechinah (the indwelling Divine Presence), the Holy Spirit that was the conduit for prophecy and and the Urim and Tumim (the Divine Name that would illuminate the High Priest’s breastplate). One gets the feeling that the Second Temple was a token structure or perhaps a futile attempt to relive the glory of former days.
Yet somehow, the loss of the Second Temple was a greater calamity. Perhaps because the loss of life and human dignity rendered by the Romans far superceded the loss at the hands of the Babylonians? Alternatively, the Roman exile which followed the destruction of the second temple is now approaching two thousand years whereas the first Temple’s exile ended after a few generations
These answers may explain why the second destruction is more severe quantitatively, but if the destruction could be measured qualitatively, then I would like to offer an alternative explanation, based on the prophecy of Haggai (2:9) : "The glory of this latter Temple will be greater than that of the first…” Therefore, if the glory of the Second Temple is greater than the first then naturally, its destruction would be a greater catastrophe.
Three is an important number in Judaism. Units of three almost always follow a pattern that is manifest in the first three of the lower seven Sephirot (or Divine Emanations that are constantly influencing creation). Imagine a triangle with the point facing down. The top right emanation is called Hesed (lit. kindness) or Abundant Giving. This is the trait which precedes the creation of the world and is the love which “inspired” G-d to create. G-d wanted to give His goodness to a recipient. Creation of man (the crown of creation) itself, then, must be manifest in order to begin to receive this love/kindness. This receiving is the top left emanation of our imaginary triangle called Gevurah (lit. “strength”) or definite boundaries. In order to create a vessel, one must apply force or strength to shape the walls which define it as a vessel. These two points thus share a simple relationship. God is giving and Man/creation is receiving. When they do this in proper balance they create a new entity, which may be called an integrated state of being, in the same way that Judaism perceives the elevated unit of man and woman in a kosher relationship. This is our third and lower point on the triangle. It is called Tiferet (lit. Glory) or “harmonious balance.” It is then fitting to see a child or the fruit of the above relationship between man and woman as a fusion or integration of parts.
Using this paradigm we now understand how the First Temple was “Hesed” or kindness. We received it with the aid of kings and prophets. It was a gift. The concept of Hit’orerut De’le’Aila or “An awakening from above” is clearly expressed through the numerous miracles performed in the first Temple as well as the presence of the Shekhina in The Ark and the Urim(see above).
The Second Temple came from a place of Hit’orerut de’le’tata or “ an awakening from below.” The second point in our triangle symbolizes man’s effort and exertion towards his part in the relationship as a creator of the vessel, which will receive the divine light. We see this from the outset of the Second Temple when it is the benevolence of Cyrus the Great ( a non-Jew) who initiates the process of the building of the Second temple by releasing all Jewish captives of Babylon. The small group of Jews made a valiant and spirited effort when they cleared the ruins of the First Temple and began building it despite the fact that most of the Jewish people remained in exile and that the Glory of G-d had apparently departed from them. They faced fierce resistance by various cults who antagonized them and foiled there efforts. Nonetheless, the children of these pioneers with the aid of Darius (another non-Jew) helped build it entirely and they began the Temple service with what meager and humble resources they had. Later on, the Greeks came and the Jewish people lost control of the precious fruit of their labor only to later regain it with triumphant joy. It is no coincidence that the miracle of Hanukah is celebrated as the first holiday which is ordained solely by the hands of the sages-an awakening from below. (As opposed to all other holidays in the Torah that are instituted in the era of prophecy and divine revelation-an era of “kindness.”)
Finally, Herod reconstructs the second temple and adorns it with grandeur that some say surpassed the first. He is the last of the non-Jews (even though he thought he was Jewish) to contribute to the construction. The fact that non-Jews play a leadership role in the construction of the Second Temple is noteworthy for it might imply that the glory of the Second Temple was greater (and likewise it’s destruction) because the service to G-d was more inclusive of other nations.
So what better testifies to the greatness of man? When one receives a gift of 100, 000 shekels or when one utilizes his or her physical, mental, or spiritual talents to make themselves a salary of, say, 50, 000 shekels? The Rambam answers this question in his Laws of Charity. He states that it is preferable to give charity in the form of an occupation. Only when that is not possible should someone resort to making someone a passive recipient of gifts. For the strength of character needed to exert oneself in the world endows a person with a sense of joy for overcoming their impediments. It is this strength (gevurah), which we see is characteristic of the Second Temple and its history. It is also for this reason that its destruction was more devastating. The more energy invested the greater the sense of loss.
Our hubris is that we may think that as a result of our gevurah we are the sole possessors of glory and honor. It is for this reason that an air of egoism and subsequent baseless hatred permeated the second Temple’s culture. It is that imbalance which brought about its tragic demise and prevents it from being rebuilt until today. Only when we are able to appreciate the awesome weight of our actions in this world within the pretext that it is a gift from the Master of the World can we merit to see the fruit of the actions of a harmonious partnership between God and man. This will then usher in the era of unity, balance, and integration- the era of the Third Temple.